Lost in Darkness
by DestinyCrusader
Summary: "You ready?" Lea questioned, his excitement barely containable, as he turned to look as well. Isa gave Lea sideways glance. He had that look. The one that Lea got in anticipation of an adventure.
1. The Spiky Haired Kid

**Here's my first chapter of my Kingdom Hearts, Birth by Sleep FanFiction. **

**This is my first attempt at any type of fanfiction, so I need lots of reviews to tell me how I did. **

**I hope you all like this!**

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><p><em>Chapter One: The Spiky-Haired Kid<em>

A lanky teenager leaned against the wall, closing his aqua green eyes, his vibrant blue hair rustling in the slight breeze. He was dressed in a short-sleeved, high-collared navy blue jacket over a black undershirt, white pants, and plain black shoes. A yellow crescent moon stood up on the right side of his jacket. A second later he heard a chiming of a bell, and an excited, spiky-styled, red-haired boy emerged from the doors beside him, wearing a sleeveless orange jacket, a white vest, baggy tan pants and very conspicuous red and white sneakers. He was also wearing a yellow scarf triangularly around his neck, and was carrying what looked two Frisbees.

"Check 'em out, Isa!" he held them up, one in each hand, as if they were spears and he was going to use them in battle. They were black, with pointed edges and demonic faces surrounded by fire. "Cool huh?"

Isa rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. _Of course he picks up the first things he sees that have fire on them._ "Frisbees, Lea? Seriously, what are you going to be using next? Candles?"

Lea chuckled. "Of course not. That would be weird."

Isa raised his eyebrows. His expression was clear: Frisbees are _not_ weird?

Lea just laughed again and hooked the Frisbees onto the left side of his belt. That way he could pull them out in a second's notice. He looked up suddenly at Isa, and their eye met in a silent understanding. "Let's go."

They started to walk, casually turning the corner. Lea eyed the castle in excitement. Sure, he was scared–what if they got caught?—but the idea of what they would _find _was more appealing at the moment. As they crossed the inner square, something that looked like a life-sized wooden key tumbled in front of Lea. Curious, he bent down and grabbed hold of the opposite end, testing it. Well-balanced, it appeared to be a good weapon. He also noticed a word carved into the handle: _Terra. Who's Terra? _He mused, when he noticed the short boy sitting against the wall, looking at him through ocean blue eyes. He was dressed strangely. His jacket was black on one side and white on the other, with a red, pleated collar. Underneath, you could glimpse a grey shirt with angular patterns. His pants were similar to his shirt and jacket and looked very similar to Caprice pants save the white layering. There was also something crisscrossing over his chest, and what looked like a key emblem in the center. On top of that, there seemed to be a dull green and grey armor under his shirt and another piece of armor on his left shoulder. Trying not to double back at the boy's uncanny appearance, Lea, who had a knack of telling what a person was thinking, could tell something was troubling this kid. And that's all he needed to know.

"This yours?" he asked. The boy gave a hesitant nod. _So is this guy 'Terra'?_

Isa turned to look at him. "Lea," he said gravely, "we don't have time for this." He had been Lea's friend for years, and for all he knew this could take hours. They couldn't afford delays.

"Lighten up Isa, it'll only take a sec," Lea answered childishly, gesturing absent-mindedly with the wooden key. He walked over to the boy with the spiky, orange-gold hair. "You still play with toy swords?" he mocked, flipping it around in his hand and then offering the boy the handle, "that's cute." He registered the boy's grimace with a confident grin and tossed the key onto the ground. "Now this right here…" he pulled out the Frisbees he'd bought just a few minutes ago. "Tada!" He grinned broadly. _Stare in awe, _he thought giddily. "Whaddaya think?"

"Not a whole lot," the boy answered, avoiding his gaze.

Lea bent over hurriedly in an attempt to woo him. "You're just jealous! I'm Lea." He tapped his temple with his index finger. "Got it memorized?"

A few feet away, Isa rolled his eyes again. _He never seems to get bored of that catch-phrase, does he? _He crossed his arms and eyed Lea impatiently. Lea, of course, didn't notice.

"What's your name?" Lea asked. It sounded more like a jeering command than a question. The boy seemed to falter for another second. Then, in a voice that sounded well aware of the fact that Lea wouldn't leave him without knowing his name, replied in surrender, "Ventus."

_Hmm. So he's not Terra. _Lea grinned. Whatever, this was going to be fun! "Okay, Ventus, Let's fight!"

Ventus looked at him in apparent surprise. "Fight?" he repeated incredulously. "_Why _would I wanna do that?"

"You scared of losin'?" he teased. "C'mon!" he took a backwards leap, his fingers twirling the Frisbees from the edges. "Hope you're ready!" he grinned again.

He seemed to be considering before he looked up, his expression suddenly burning, "Heh!"

_All right! _Lea could feel the excitement building up inside him. "Yeah! Now we're talkin'!"

Ventus got up, grabbing the wooden key as he did with his right hand. "You're gonna be sorry." As he did, he swung his sword, which was facing backwards.

_So he holds it backhandedly? _Isa wondered. _Interesting technique. _He let out a small laugh. He was going to have back away a bit or one of Lea's Frisbees would find its way to his face.

Isa drew back to watch, throwing occasional glances at the castle. A few feet in front of him, Isa and Ventus launched themselves at each other. Isa watched Ventus with some interest. He had already seen Lea battle a million times, himself being the usual opponent. Lea's style was fiery: he liked to launch himself at the enemy and throw in all his power, relying on surprise and combo attacks. But he was no chance again Ventus, who liked using his speed as an advantage and evaded most of Lea's attacks. Before long, Lea had fallen on his butt – with a clear laugh echoed by Isa – with Ventus standing over him in a guarded battle stance.

Lea tried to gather his remaining dignity. "You…had enough? 'Cause I'm willing to… call it a draw if you are." he panted pathetically. Isa admitted to himself that he would probably have laughed at Lea's face. Ventus just straightened. "Huh?" he broke into a smile and said good-naturedly after a small laugh, "Right."

"From where I stood," Isa commented as he walked towards them, "the only thing you drew was a big L on your forehead for loser…" he counted words off in his head as he stopped beside the fallen Lea, "lame… laughable."

"Wha—?" Lea managed to protest as he faced Isa. "Isn't this the part where ya… cheer me up or something?" he complained. He crossed his arms and in a meek imitation of Isa's serious face, went on, "'You're just… havin' a bad day' or, 'that's what you get for pulling your punches!'" he sighed and looked away. "Some friend."

Isa's comeback was natural. "Oh, you mean I was supposed to lie." He hid a small smile as he looked down at his putting friend. Lea could be so childish sometimes… but that was what kept Isa going. A little adventure in life was why Lea was there.

Lea looked up at his face in mock disbelief, and then looked down as if he was telling Ventus a sad life story. "You see what I gotta put up with?" he said, exasperated, crossing his arms behind his head and laying down on the pavement. He gave Ventus a look. "Sure hope you don't have friends like him." He commented, and then cracked one of his grins. His face said: well now you do have a friend like him. Ventus looked at him for a second, and then, having read his expression, started to laugh. Lea and Isa joined in pleasantly, and for a few seconds they seemed to emanate a very friendly aura. Isa glanced at Ventus, looking marginally cheerful than before, and then at Lea, sprawled on the ground very casually. "Lea, we have to go." This time there was a smile in his voice.

"Kay," Lea answered, having seen what he wanted to see on Ventus' face.

Ventus looked crestfallen. After what had happened with Aqua and Terra, he didn't want them to leave. "Already?" he asked, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice as Isa started to walk away and Lea got up to follow.

Lea smiled to himself as he looked back at Ventus. "I'll see ya when I see ya" he answered coolly, "After all, we're friends now, right?" his grin was open and welcoming. Ventus returned the smile full-heartedly.

"Get it memorized," Lea couldn't resist to add, his emerald green eyes sparkling.

Ventus nodded, beaming. His eyes were alight. "Okay, Lea." He spoke his name with a kind of challenge, and Lea liked that. A lot.

As Ventus turned to go, Isa addressed Lea with a question that was burning on his tongue. "What is it with you and picking up stray puppies?" Just a few days ago he'd befriended a kid playing a guitar —which he stubbornly called a 'Sitar' – outside Scrooge's ice-cream shop. And before that he'd gone all out with a little boy wearing a lab coat. The boy had hardly spoken a word, but Lea's constant chatter seemed to have cleared the little kid's mind.

"I want everyone I meet to remember me," Lea explained, as if it was the plainest notion in the world. Isa had to admit, it wasn't a bad thought. _Make a difference huh…_

"Inside people's memories, I can live forever," Lea added dramatically.

Ventus listened with a small smile from a distance away. Lea was very likeable, even though Ventus had just met him. He wondered if they would ever meet again.

"I know I won't forget you," Isa responded with an I-wish-I-could look. "Believe me, I try all the time."

Lea regarded himself as though he were a king, his hands in his pockets and his voice smug. "See, I'm immortal." He grinned haughtily at Isa.

"You're obnoxious." Isa stated bluntly, but he was smiling. He looked back up at the towering mansion.

"You ready?" Lea questioned, his excitement barely containable, as he turned to look as well.

Isa gave Lea sideways glance. He had _that _look. The one that Lea got in anticipation of an adventure.

"Well, I can tell you are," Isa said. _I think I am too._

"Yeah," Lea answered, his gaze still glued to the tower. Isa turned to walk, knowing the Lea would follow. Behind them, in the center of town, Ventus started to walk in a different direction, his thoughts whirring. He stopped with a saddened look. He suddenly felt alone. "Must be nice…" he murmured to himself. He looked up at the clear, now light purple sky. An image of Terra an Aqua flashed through his mind. "…knowin' who your friends are."

At the same moment, somewhere at the opposite end of Radiant Garden, Lea and Isa were crouching at the foot of the long staircase that led to the castle entrance. Lea shot Isa an excited grin. "Let's do this!"

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><p><strong>Oh, also, this Chapter was a bit overly descriptive. I lessen it along the way, just so everyone knows XD<strong>


	2. Break In

**Chapter two is here! Sorry it's so short, my next one will definitely be longer.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter Two: Break-In<em>

"Let's go."

Lea's voice was dripping with anticipation. He eyed the guards excitedly. There were two of them, standing in total attention right in front of the castle doors. _They take their job way too seriouisly, _Lea commented inside his head. The guard on the left had an icy look in his eyes. He had long, black hair that was in dreadlocks, pulled into a ponytail, a lock of hair hanging over his face. He had a small yet sturdy build, and his eyebrows were thick. His face was bordered with sideburns, and his eyes were a strange and creepy violet color. He was holding what looked like a strange lance. The other guard was very burly, and taller. He had angular features: square chin, straight nose, sharp cheekbones. His auburn hair was slicked back into strangely positioned spikes. And yet, his blue eyes looked much warmer than the other guard's. Still, he was holding an axe so Lea decided he'd better be careful.

If, of course, he didn't want to get chopped up into a million pieces.

He'd rather get stabbed, he decided, staring straight at the shorter watchman.

Nodding slowly, Isa crept off to a spot where he wouldn't be seen by them. Giving him the thumbs up sign, Lea bounded up the stairs, pulling out his 'weapons', if you could call them that.

"We need a diversion," Isa had stated the previous week, "something that keeps them away from the gates long enough to let me sneak in."

Lea had grinned back almost instantly. "A diversion eh?" he placed his thumb on his chest. "That's what _I'm_ here for."

He'd never actually thought about what he was going to do. It was better this way—Lea had a knack for coming up with ideas on the spot. And now, as he rushed up the stairs, the two sentries regarding him warily, their weapons ready, he knew exactly what to do:

Knock them out with Frisbees.

Without hesitating, Lea pulled back his arm and then threw the black and red Frisbee with as much force as he could muster, aiming for the black-haired guard. The Frisbee flew straight at him. Slamming against his head and then rebounding, falling a few feet from Lea.

Caught by surprise, the man staggered sideways, an ugly red welt already beginning to form at the side of his head. Without missing a beat, Lea stuck out his tongue – rather obnoxiously – at the two of them. Then, grabbing the fallen Frisbee, he turned made a run for it.

At the edge of the castle grounds, Isa watched Lea run past him, throwing him a wink as he slid around the corner. _Should've expected that, _Isa thought resignedly, face-palming himself. Typical Lea.

Momentarily forgetting recent events, the disoriented guard let out an angry snarl and, clutching his head, sprinted dazedly after Lea, who was running for all he was worth.

"Dilan!" the burly guard called after his companion, extending a useless hand as his partner was already disappearing down the steps. _He mustn't harm the boy, _he thought waveringly, knowing full well that his fellow guard was quite capable of doing a lot of destruction in anger; _it was probably nothing more than a prank. _Deciding that staying here would do more damage than running after him, he suddenly followed suit, grasping his axe tightly. As soon as he was out of sight, Isa stole up the stairs, making the least possible noise. He could still hear Lea's infectious laughter as he opened the metal door and slipped through, glancing around cautiously.

"Phase one, complete," Isa murmured to himself as he slowly snuck down the deserted hallway. He just hoped Lea would be able to hold up his end of the plan.

What was he thinking? This was _Lea _they were talking about. And as he turned a corner, hiding behind tapestries in case he got spotted, Isa found himself smiling.

Meanwhile, Lea was laughing hysterically as he dashed down yet another street. What could he say, this was way better than having a frying-pan with Isa (don't ask) or making mud pies for unsuspecting people to step into (and _that _is funny!)

"You brat! I'll get you!" the guard threatened from a million miles behind him.

_As if, _Lea thought confidently, turning to look behind him at the tiny speck in the distance. There was _no _way this guy would be able to—

OOF!

Lea suddenly fell backwards on his butt, his forehead throbbing with sudden pain. Groaning, he looked up at the person he had bumped into and was overjoyed (and relieved) to see a familiar face.

Dressed casually in a T-shirt and dark jeans, holding his 'sitar' in front of him (that explained the nasty bruise on Lea's forehead) Myde broke into a smile before pulling Lea onto his feet. "Hey man, what's up?"

"No time to talk, Myde!" Lea answered hurriedly, glancing behind him at the guard: he was catching up, and fast. "I'm in the middle of something right now."

Leaning sideways to look behind Lea, his dirty blond hair falling messily over his green eyes, Myde spotted the angry – well, furious – guard and, at once knew exactly what he was supposed to do.

"Don't worry man, I've got your back," Myde answered reassuringly, stepping forward and adjusting his sitar. "Leave it to me."

"Thanks!" Lea answered enthusiastically, flashing him a grin before he dashed off again. "I owe you one!"

Myde didn't turn to look behind him. _One of these days, _he mused, _he will HAVE to tell me what he's always up to. _

A very wide grin spreading across his face, he stood in the guard's path. He recognized the guy, partly because he always stood sentry in front of the castle, and mostly because of his dark blue uniform with the red-heart emblem. His fingers hovered over the strings as if he meant to play, but as soon as the guard was close enough, he slipped it forward, both hands gripping the handle as he raised it above his head. "This is Sparta!" he yelled, and then grinned to himself. "I've always wanted to say that."

The man skidded to a halt, almost tripping, his expression that of total surprise. Another, larger, guard had appeared a few feet behind him, staring at him with an equally shocked expression. Myde kept himself from laughing and lowered the sitar. The whole street, bustling a few seconds ago, had gone silent, everyone's eyes on him. "Just kidding," he answered in his best nonchalant voice. "I would never damage my Sitar." With that, he walked away, whistling a tune. After another moment of silence, the guards seem to realize their position.

"Dilan," said the brawnier of the guards, "leave that kid. He did no real harm. We should get back to our post."

Dilan gazed towards the direction Lea had ran, and then turned back to look at the other guard. "As you say, Aeleus."

Myde noticed a bump at the side of Dilan's head and almost laughed. For some reason, he was sure Lea was behind that. He watched them leave, and then looked towards the opposite side of the street. He hoped the delay had been enough for Lea.

Lea, out of breath, rushed towards the back end of the castle. He'd spotted a small door in the back and he was counting on Isa to have opened it. Slowing, he grinned at Isa, who as leaning against the doorframe, a smug expression on his face. "What took you so long?" he stared at Lea's forehead.

Lea shrugged. "Sorry, got held up. Myde helped out."

Isa nodded and smirked. "Of course you got held up." He tilted his head towards the inside of the castle. "C'mon then."

Lea nodded as he stepped through, Isa closing the door softly behind them. They both stood there, shoulder-to-shoulder, staring down the now intimidating hallway. "This is it." Lea breathed.


	3. Oversized Lab Coat

**I finally got the time to type this up. I worked hard on this chapter, so it's longer than chapters one and two. Anyway, I really need comments! **

**Tell me what you think, people, or I will definitely go insane!**

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><p><em>Chapter Three: Oversized Lab Coat<em>

Isa stared down the hallway. Uncharacteristically, his head had started to pound and his heart was hammering in his chest, as if desperate to jump right out. This was it. The home of _the _Ansem. He had seen the ruler of Radiant Garden plenty of times: he liked going around the streets and talking to little children. But he had never spoken to him, face to face. And this was his chance.

Lea, on the other hand, was here mainly because of the rumors. He'd heard the Ansem himself had started some kind of research. He'd wanted to know for himself. What would someone like Ansem, Ansem the Wise, want to know, that he didn't know already?

"Okay," Isa whispered, and he backed up against the wall, motioning for Lea to join him. Lea had to admit, Isa was better than him at stealth. Seeing as he was horrible at it. Slowly, they inched their way towards the bend in the corridor. Isa checked the second hallway. "All clear," he murmured, and he turned the corner, still against the wall. Lea followed, but not after tripping and almost falling if it weren't for Isa, who grabbed his arm just as he was about to hit the ground.

Lea registered Isa's glare with a shrug. "Sorry." He mouthed.

Just then they heard voices.

"Someone's coming!" Isa whispered, panicking and pushing Lea back around the corner.

"What—who—?"

Isa shushed him angrily and Lea fell into a moody silence as Isa carefully peered around the corner. Isa froze, as if he'd seen a ghost. Curiosity got the best of Lea and he whispered eagerly, "Who is it? Who do you see?"

For a second Isa didn't reply, and Lea was considering kicking him in the shin, when his friend finally turned to look at him.

"It's him…" Isa murmured in awe.

"Who?" Lea questioned, annoyed.

"Ansem. The wise." Isa was apparently incapable of forming sentences that contained more than two words.

"Really?" Lea asked excitedly, trying to push past Isa, who suddenly pushed him back. "Idiot!" he whispered harshly. "Do you _want _to get caught?"

Lea shrugged, and, at the sound of coming footsteps, was wrenched into a nearby room by Isa. Lea was disheartened by the fact that he hadn't seen Ansem himself, but didn't get the chance to voice his thoughts because just then, a voice rang out.

"What are you _doing _here, don't you—" the little boy who had spoken up was suddenly quiet with surprise. "Lea?"

"Hey, kid!" Lea chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Stop it!" said the oversized lab coat, pulling away from Lea's touch.

"Hey, aren't you…" Isa seemed to have recovered, staring at the short boy as he tried to recover his name from memories.

"Ienzo." He sounded offended.

"Right." Isa glanced at the closed door behind him. He was itching to go back outside and catch a glimpse of Ansem again, but he knew it was too risky. Meanwhile, Lea was making as much noise as he could, and Isa was starting to think that maybe the redhead _did _want to get caught.

"Hey, how've ya been little guy! Looks like you're talking more, eh?"

Ienzo visibly blushed. "Er, yeah, after…"

He didn't need to finish, Isa realized. Lea affected a lot of lives. He was starting to get the stray puppy thing.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Ienzo asked. Lea noticed he didn't look at Isa much. Of course, with the guy's cold personality, no one wanted to look at him much. _Poor kid must be scared to death, _Lea thought, smiling to himself.

"A lot of reasons," Isa replied vaguely, in case Lea tripped up and told Ienzo everything. He still didn't trust this kid. Not yet.

"Oh. Um. I won't turn you in," Ienzo said quickly, surprising Isa.

_Ienzo is more observant than I give him credit for_ Isa thought shrewdly. _Okay, maybe I like this kid._

"I knew you wouldn't," Lea laughed, slapping Ienzo on the back, making him stumble.

"They'll come barging in any second if you don't keep your voice down," Isa said irritably, throwing yet another glance at the door. Now what were they supposed to do?

"Hey, did you hear that?" Lea suddenly murmured, and immediately the trio fell into silence, ears strained. Sure enough, the sound of footsteps, very likely belonging to two people, was echoing down the halls. If Isa played close attention, he could distinguish between light footfalls and heavier ones.

"The guards," Isa muttered to wide-eyed Lea, who nodded silently. _Do they know about us?_

"I don't think they know," Ienzo whispered, having sensed Isa's thought's yet again. "If they knew of intruders, they would be running." He spoke from experience, Isa could tell.

"Okay, but we should leave, just in case," Lea offered, his eyes linked with Isa's.

_Leave? Already?_ "Let's try to slip by unnoticed." Isa countered.

Lea's eyes widened. This was unusual. Isa was taking a risk? Suddenly he smiled. "Awesome. Let's do it."

Isa nodded seriously, making his way to the door, inching it open a crack and glancing outside.

"Thanks," Lea mumbled to Ienzo with a grin. The little boy nodded, unable to return the smile now that his visitors were leaving. Instinctively, Lea ruffled his hair again. This time Ienzo did not protest or move away.

"See you later," Isa called softly, and when he caught Ienzo's eyes, he felt some kind of understanding pass between them.

"Good Luck," Ienzo answered as the two marauders disappeared from view, closing the door behind them.

"Which way?" Lea muttered, back in the hallway.

Isa had already taken off. "This way! Ansem went here."

Lea rolled his eyes but followed. Isa really wanted to meet this guy. Staring at the back of his friend's head, Lea wondered why. What was so important?

He would find out very soon.

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><p><strong>Okay, so I just wanted to say that I'm actually trying to keep this as close to the real story as possible. Thus, as they have snuck in, Terra-Xehanort hasn't come here yet, and Ansem, since I'm only guessing, has written his first report. (Secret Ansem Report 1) *Hint*: The report has something to do with the next chapter!<strong>


	4. Impulse

**Chapter four is here! (Horns blaring, confetti falling…)**

**Oh, one thing, in the last chapter, I said Secret Ansem Report 1, when I meant Ansem Report 0. My bad, XD**

**Okay, before I go on with the story, I'd like to thank all the reviews I have gotten so far. A heartfelt thanks to: WishingDreamer5 (My first reviewer ever!), SuperXBrother, Pandamon, PandaFatty, and the one anonymous review (S'ok, I love you as much as the rest!).**

**Also, I'd like to give a very special thank you to my epic friend Hectopascal (if you haven't read her stories yet, READ THEM NOW!) for supporting me and urging me to continue writing when I was ready to give up. **

**Hailey, this one's for you.**

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><p><em>Lost in Darkness<em>

_Chapter Four: Impulse_

"Is he in there?" Lea asked, trying to look over his friend's broad shoulders. You had to admit, they were freakishly _wide._

Isa didn't respond right away. He was excited, and yet afraid. What if the great Ansem didn't turn out to be all he had imagined him to be? He couldn't imagine his disappointment. And then there was the question about how Ansem would handle the fact that they had broken in to the castle.

Lea nudged Isa impatiently, his red hair contrasting greatly with the grey walls.

"How am I supposed to know?" Isa snapped back.

In his uneasiness, he'd gotten quite irritable, Lea observed. _Wow, he's more nervous than I thought, _Lea mused. Isa almost _never_ lost his cool.

"Well then, are we going in, or not?" Lea questioned, his green eyes blazing with excitement as he eyed the majestic doors in front of them.

Isa took a deep breath. _I can do this, _he assured himself, _no big deal._

But when his hands closed around the doorknob, he stopped once again. On impulse, he pressed his ear against the door, closing his eyes so he would hear, better than usual. For a second Lea stared at him like he was crazy, but when he realized what Isa was doing, he remained quiet, his gaze suddenly watchful.

Isa couldn't hear anything except for slight scraping sounds, which he guessed was the sound of someone writing. His breathing slow, he wondered whether he dared interrupt Ansem while he was writing. Just then came the sound of a chair being pushed back.

Ansem was getting up!

The blue-haired-boy made a split second decision, and, grabbing Lea's arm, he pushed himself against the wall behind the doors just as they opened, Lea barely slipping out of view as Ansem stepped out. The two of them stared in awe at Ansem's figure: tall and proud. The man was old, but had an air of wisdom that seemed to surround them.

_No wonder he's called Ansem the Wise, _Isa was thinking.

Lea's thoughts were a bit different. _What has he done to my favorite color? How dare he wear that dark red scarf! It clashes horribly with his hair!_

Miraculously, Ansem did not notice the two teenagers behind him and, hands crossed behind his back, he walked down the hallway, mumbling something incoherent.

Isa had frozen again.

Lea rolled his eyes and dragged his friend into Ansem's room, closing the door gently behind them.

"You wimped out." Lea's expression was smug.

Isa was still recovering from his freeze-every-time-I-see-Ansem disease. "Well—"

"Never mind," Lea chuckled, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Check that out."

Isa turned to see where Lea was looking, and his heart stopped short when he noticed the sheet of paper lying on Ansem's desk, a pen placed over it, implying that it was what Ansem had just written.

Lea raised an eyebrow. "Let's see what he was writing about."

Before Isa could stop him, Lea was standing beside the desk, paper in hand. He grinned at Isa. "C'mon, I know you want to read it too."

Isa gave in to the urge. He was curious, and even more so, it wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? He nodded at Lea, who held the page between them as they started to read.

**Report 0**

They didn't get very far though, because just then, the doors burst open to reveal Dilan, the guard with the black hair and steely eyes. The paper slipped from Lea's hands as he looked up in surprise at the sentinel's outraged expression.

"How dare you," he yelled, brandishing his spear, "You have no right to be in this castle, let alone his Wisdom's _room_!_" _

Lea shrugged. "You idiots made it easy for us."

That comment _probably_ didn't help them out.

With a battle cry, Dilan lunged at them, holding his spear above his head as if he had every intention of running them through with it. Without even thinking, Lea dove towards the right while Isa did so towards the other direction, and before the assailant could turn around, they were sprinting down the hall they had come from.

"Can't catch us!" Lea shouted, looking back to stick his tongue out. Apparently, he found it very hard to keep his mouth shut. Of course, rubbing it in was his specialty.

"Watch out!" Isa yelled, as Ienzo emerged in front of them, his dark grey hair hiding most of his face, holding some kind of chemical in a small glass bottle.

They skidded to a halt, barely missing an unwanted group hug.

But Lea wasn't done yet. Before the little boy could warn him, Lea grabbed the tiny bottle from Ienzo's hand and hurled it towards the advancing guard's chest. The bottle missed its designated target, connecting instead with the man's hand. At once, Dilan's hair burst into flames, and he yelled out in surprise.

Dilan desperately tried to set the fire out with his spare hand, all the while cursing loudly. Ienzo had his hands clamped over his mouth, his eyes wide as he watched the spectacle unfolding in front of him, and Isa had buried his face in his hand again. Lea was buckled over, laughing.

_I feel bad for the guy, _Isa thought, _first a Frisbee to his head, and now this…_ before tugging at Lea's sleeve.

"Come on! We gotta go." Lea detected the urgency in Isa's voice and nodded seriously.

They started to run, but their attempts proved futile when the muscular guard blocked their way, flaunting his giant axe that looked large enough to chop off their heads.

_He wouldn't do that… would he? _Lea thought, shaking slightly.

The intimidating man grabbed Lea and Isa by their arms, and no matter how hard they tried to tug away, he kept his grip firm.

Dilan stomped over to the captives. He had somehow, managed to put out the flames on his head, but his hair was burnt crisp where the bottle had connected, and there was a small circle where there was no hair. Lea suppressed another laugh, his free hand pressed against his mouth to avoid guffawing in the man's face. They were in enough trouble already, and even Lea knew when to stop, although he was very tempted to share a bald joke with them all.

"Give 'em to me, Aeleus." Dilan spoke with venom in his voice.

"Now, now, no need to be so harsh, Dilan. I suppose they were just curious." Another man had appeared. Gangly and awkward, he wore a lab coat very similar to Ienzo's, and his eyes looked slightly crazed behind his locks of long blond hair.

"Even." Dilan started, but the man cut him off.

"If it weren't for your foolishness, they never would have gotten in." he spoke sarcastically, his voice high-pitched and playfully grating.

Dilan looked like he wanted to rip Even's head off, but instead said nothing.

"Oh, Ienzo," Even said suddenly, gazing at the boy whose eyes were still wide. "Was that mixture made by you?" he gestured vaguely at Dilan's hair.

Ienzo, suddenly quite red, nodded slowly, and Even cheered. "You are learning! That is very pleasing, Ienzo."

Ienzo didn't reply. It seemed he didn't like Even that much.

"That freaking _mixture _nearly burnt through my skin!"

"His skin? Impressive," Even commented, his light green eyes nothing more than amused. Ienzo looked away diffidently, not wanting to hold the scientist's piercing gaze.

Dilan was shaking in anger, his hands balled into fists. Apparently, he didn't want to hear anything the blonde had to say anymore, because, without another word, he grabbed the two prisoners by their collars, lifting them into the air.

"Hey! What are you doing? Let go!" Lea started to yell, struggling to release himself from the guard's uncomfortable grip. But Isa realized Dilan was stronger than he looked, and he cursed inwardly at his own stupidity. Why else would he be a guard of the castle?

Still, it hadn't all been a failure. He'd seen Ansem the Wise close up. Maybe one day he would have the guts to talk to him.

Dilan traipsed out the doors, Aeleus following close behind and closing the door behind them. Isa had crossed his arms across his chest, knowing it was useless to struggle.

Lea, on the other hand, did not like being treated like a ragdoll, and was fighting for all he was worth, his arms flailing. Or trying, anyway.

Although, he might have landed a hit if Dilan hadn't thrown them onto the ground like that. They landed hard, dust surrounding them instantly. They were coughing as they sat up to look back at Dilan brushing his hands off, Aeleus standing beside him with his hands on his hips.

"Let's go, Lea," Isa said quickly, getting to his feet and turning away from the guards. He hated the fact that they'd been caught, even when nothing had been done to them. He was suddenly glad Lea had hit Dilan with a Frisbee. _And _set his hair on fire. And just like that, Isa was smirking, and when Lea caught sight of his friend's satisfaction he grinned back.

_That was fun._

As they walked away, Lea thought contently, _His hair will probably take a while to grow back and cover up that bald spot._

And his laugh echoed all around Radiant Garden.

* * *

><p>"Wanna try sneaking in again?"<p>

Isa shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Lea. We got caught pretty easily."

"Aw, c'mon Isa. It'll be fun."

"Okay, maybe. But not yet. They'll be expecting it if we try again so soon."

_But next time, _he thought, _I _will_ talk to Ansem!_

Isa leaned against the wall of the shop, crossing his arms, deep in thought. They also needed to train more, so that if they were to get caught again, they wouldn't be so useless in battle.

"Sea-salt ice-cream! Anyone? Anyone?" Scrooge McDuck, a new arrival to Radiant Garden, was standing in front of the shop, holding two bars of light blue ice-cream and yelling at anyone who passed by. Lea turned to look at him, and smiled. "We'll take those."

Scrooge happily handed them over, taking the munny from Lea's hand.

"Thank you," Scrooge quacked.

Lea offered one of the bars to Isa, who took it unhesitatingly. He could do for some ice-cream right now.

The red-head bit into his ice-cream eagerly, Isa following, both boys savoring the salty sweet taste as they looked up towards the clear sky, thinking of their recent experiences, and looking forward to whatever fate decided to throw at them next. And suddenly, Isa was ready for it. He gave his friend a sideways glance. He'd always known befriending Lea would get him into lots of trouble, but at the same time, he'd never felt more alive, or happy to be so.

Times were memorable, and there was a lot to come before they actually decided to break in again. A lot of time would pass by before they penetrated the castle again, but the next time they got in, they would never make it back out.

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><p><strong>Okay, so, I know this took a while, so I apologize. Will try to update sooner.<strong>

**I just wanted to make everyone aware of the poll, now open on my Profile, about what characters you'd like to see next in this story, so vote away! I'd love the assistance, and who doesn't want to feel like they helped create a legacy? (Just kidding… somewhat.)**

**Also, I've decided I'll update this every Saturday, excluding this one since I'm updating it now. ;)  
>One more thing…<strong>

**IENZO COMMANDS YOU TO REVIEW! **


	5. Comical Warrior

**Sorry for the late update!  
>Special thank-yous to Keyblade Mosstar (you're the mastaaa!), alternrockerchick (you rock!) and NoOneXIII (er, you're SOMEBODY!) ;D You guys may not know it, but this story wouldn't be here without you all. I have… low self-esteem XD<br>Anyway, I tried making this longer since most of my chapters are so short. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Lost in Darkness<br>Chapter Five: Comical Warrior_**  
><strong>

Lea closed his eyes, hands stuffed in his pockets as he leaned against the wall of the ice-cream shop. _Isa should be here soon_, he thought. They usually met here in the afternoons, after they finally escaped the grasps of their families.

His spiky hair itched in the summer heat, but he didn't bother to lift his hand to scratch it. Besides, it would totally ruin his hairstyle. Gel was only so strong.

He sighed.

_I wonder what that report said…_

_Report 0…_

_So was it Ansem's first report?_

_I doubt there's a Report Negative one…_

Why was he thinking about this? Usually, Isa was the contemplative one. He wasn't sure why, but he had the strangest feeling that whatever that report said, it was important. He felt that one day, he and Isa might be the only people who'd ever gotten a glimpse of it. It was a weird sensation, as if an icy cold hand was gripping his heart, and he shuddered suddenly. Why did everything feel so wrong? It was as if the world was going to end, right then and there.

He was still thinking when he felt a light tug on his pants, and he looked down at the figure a small girl. She looked about seven, with short, reddish auburn hair that barely reached her shoulders, falling over iris blue eyes that were shining with an innocent happiness. She was wearing a short pink and white dress and small sandals that made clopping noises as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. At the sight of Lea's friendly eyes, her smile grew wider and she held something up: four red flowers, held together from their vines in her small hands.

For a second Lea was a bit confused. He tilted his head and pointed at the flowers. "Those… are for me?"

She nodded energetically, and her cheeks flushed. "You looked like you'd like them."

Lea was suddenly curious. Maybe he'd looked like he was in pain.

He _knew _it!

Thinking gave him brain damage.

Still, he bent down, cracking a grin, taking the flowers from her hands, and for a second her expression grew weary and anxious, as if she feared that he wouldn't like them. "Thanks. You're right, I love them."

Her lips curved upwards at the corners charmingly, and Lea couldn't help thinking that she looked cute when she smiled.

"I'm Kairi," she went on in her same, loud voice. It was like she wanted the whole world to know what she was saying.

"Hi, Kairi," Lea replied. The name sounded nice on his lips. "My name's Lea. Get it memorized."

She nodded in total seriousness. "Lea. I won't forget."

He laughed. That was strangest reaction he'd gotten yet. And the best.

Kairi giggled along with him.

"Don't you need to be somewhere?" Lea asked interestedly. Who would leave such a cupid-like girl all alone? Kairi looked around instantly, like she'd just realized something. "Well, my Grandma brought me here. I don't know where she went."

Lea chuckled. "I think you're the one that wandered off, Kairi."

She blinked, her thick eyelashes prominent against her light skin. It had never occurred to her. "Oh." She glanced around again. Suddenly, she looked worried.

"That's okay, I'll help you find her." He nodded reassuringly and beat his chest, and she let out another giggle. "Okay, thank you!"

Lea switched the flowers to his left hand so he could hold onto Kairi with his right. She swung her arm back and forth as they walked. She had a certain aura about her. Lea's doubt and fear had suddenly melted away by her light. And the same light shone through her eyes, her smile.

They walked for a few minutes in companionable silence, and were halfway across the town square when she spoke up suddenly, pulling her hand away.

"I'm fine now. I'm not scared anymore." She smiled brightly.

"Is that so?" Lea grinned back. "Kay then. Don't wander off, your Grandma probably gets really worried."

She nodded solemnly, and he had a feeling she'd taken his words to heart.

He saluted at her, and she giggled again.

The sound of her laughter made him strangely happy. "It was nice meeting you, Kairi." He winked. "Thanks for the flowers."

She waved at him. "You're welcome! Bye…" she paused, biting her lip in concentration, "Lea."

He laughed again. "Bye!"

He turned around and walked back to the ice-cream shop, his mood marginally sunnier. There was no use musing about dark futures. He'd rather enjoy the present.

"I've been waiting, Lea."

Isa was standing at the shop, arms crossed. This was his usual pose. Happy. Sad. Angry. Even hungry for ice-cream. How could you stand still if you were _hungry for ice-cream?_

"I was waiting for _you_." Lea corrected him, rolling his eyes. _So much for that._

Isa shook his head. "And where was it that you were waiting?"

"Dude, first of all, you talk weird. Second, I was with Kairi."

Isa looked at him curiously. _Kairi. _"You mean that red-haired little girl?"

"You _know_ her?" Lea scratched his head. _How the heck?_

Isa nodded. "Yes, Lea, I actually_ live_ here." He spoke matter-of-factly. "I've seen her around a lot."

Lea turned a slight shade of red. He did tend to space out a lot. And obviously, he didn't get to know many people when he spent most of his time running from frying-pan battles with Isa or guards screaming bloody murder.

Isa noticed the flowers in Lea's hand and pointed at them. "Did she give you those?"

Lea had forgotten that he was holding them. "Oh. Er, yeah. Yeah she did."

Isa cracked a rare smirk. "They go perfectly with your hair. Maybe you should put them there."

Lea looked at the flowers in his hands. "Nah, man, then you wouldn't see them—" he broke off suddenly and glared at him accusingly. "_Hey!"_

Isa laughed. _He can be so oblivious. _

_But I can tell he thinks. A lot._

Shaking his head silently, Lea stuffed the flowers into his pocket so that the vines were hidden but the petals wee easily spotted. He stroked one of the petals thoughtfully. "There."

Isa was mesmerized by this side of Lea. He'd seen it before: soft, gentle, calm. It reminded Isa of himself. Sure, Lea was pretty wild. He could hardly sit still, and yet here he was, as if frozen in time, caressing a flower. It was how he'd looked the first time he'd seen him.

Just then a shriek pierced the air, and Isa's heart almost dropped down to his legs. He knew that voice.

Lea was already sprinting towards the center of Radiant Garden, and Isa followed at his heels.

_No… _Lea was starting to shake as he ran. _If she gets hurt, this is my fault… I left her there alone…_

Isa was suddenly beside him. Although he wasn't smiling, something in his expression reassured Lea. _It's not your fault _was written all across his face. Still, Lea felt horrible for abandoning her.

They skidded to a halt at the edge of the square, and Lea almost toppled over in surprise. Lea caught his arm and pulled him back just in time, but he was staring at the same spot Lea was.

Like they'd expected, it was Kairi who had screamed. The little girl was huddled in a corner, letting out whimpering noises that Lea hoped he'd never have to hear again. But what was so surprising, were the creatures that had cornered her. They were neither humans nor shadows, somewhere in between. They were long blue wisps that seemed to jolt indefinitely, their movements surreal. It looked like they had elongated ears in the shape of lightning, and horrible red eyes.

Isa's hands were clenched into fists. How could such dreadful monsters dare to appear in front of a mere child? Ignoring the dumbstruck Lea, he sprung over the edge and sprinted towards the crying girl. The tears running down her cheeks caused him intense pain.

Lea snapped out of his trance and hopped down, running after Isa only to crash into him when he stopped abruptly. He jumped to his feet. "What…?"

Apparently, they'd been beaten to the rescue. Where a few seconds ago there was no one, a teenage boy stood in front of Kairi, holding a real sword. He was dressed in a strange grey armor, and the golden hilt of his sword glinted in the sun. His dark blue hair was spiked backwards—for a crazy second Lea wondered if they used the same gel—but a few strands were let loose in front of his face, giving him a warrior-like atmosphere. His icy blue eyes fierce, he swung his sword expertly, and the first few creatures were instantly obliterated, disintegrating into dust right in front of their eyes.

"I could use a little help here," said the boy. His voice was childlike, playful in a way. As if he was daring them to help, although he did seem to be enjoying himself. He glanced behind him at Kairi, and his voice changed from coy to serious so fast even Isa was left speechless. "Someone guard her."

Without a hint of hesitation, Lea weaved through the creatures, careful to avoid their tendril-like hands, ducking sideways to avoid being slashed by the sword, and stopped in front of the shivering kairi. He bent down so his eyes were level with hers, and he took her hand gently. "It's okay. Don't be afraid."

Isa had slipped through almost effortlessly, and Lea envied the guy's creeping powers. But his friend shocked him when he said loudly, almost cruelly. "She shouldn't be scared. Only losers are scared."

Lea snapped his head back to yell at the blue-haired teen, but he was startled again, this time by Kairi. She pulled her hand free from his, and nodded, wiping her tears away. She was still shaking, but the look in her eyes was suddenly ardent. "I'm not scared."

Isa was looking away, watching the boy fight, but Lea could detect a hint of a smile. That guy really was something.

Isa could feel Lea's eyes on him, but said nothing of it. "Lea," he said in the commanding tone that annoyed his friend so much, "take her somewhere safe."

"But, Isa, I can fight…"

Isa's response silenced him. "If you've forgotten, I can fight too."

Lea almost felt ashamed for what he'd said. He nodded, trying to cover up his mistake. "Okay. Good luck."

He scooped up Kairi, who let out a small yelp but then held onto him, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek against his chest. He held her close. "Don't worry, you're safe now. You were really brave."

She nodded but didn't open her eyes. Lea didn't blame her; he didn't want to look into the faces of those monsters ever again. Reaching a safe distance, he set her down slowly and then stood in front of her. She held onto his hand, smiling secretly at the flowers protruding from his pocket. Lea was too preoccupied to notice anything but the battle.

That boy was still hacking at the creatures, yelling out strange battle cries. He could've sworn he yelled "For Gongaga!" once. Whatever that was.

Isa wasn't struggling either. He'd been planning on getting a weapon soon. A claymore, he'd called it. Some weapon out of mideival times. Of course, he planned to customize it for his own use, but he'd never gotten around to it. Still, he was doing pretty well. His hands were balled into fists, but he was using his legs to battle: swinging his feet into the faces of the dark shadows. He toppled one over with a low kick, and smashed its face in—if you can do that to a shadow. They were disappearing as quickly as they had come, but more seemed to pop out of virtually nowhere.

Kairi's scream brought his attention to a bigger one that had suddenly appeared in front of him, looming over them like a black abominable snowman. Lea reached for his Frisbees, until he remembered with a nasty jolt that he'd left them at his bedside table. Isa and the other boy hadn't noticed the creature in front of him (was it their leader?) and a single word rose to the red-head's lips when he realized the hopelessness of the situation.

"Crap."


	6. Pursuit

**Sorry for the wait, guys :)**

**I also realized that I'd forgotten to add Disclaimers so…**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of Kingdom Hearts. If I did, it wouldn't have been as good.**

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><p><em>Lost in Darkness<em>

_Chapter Six: Pursuit_

"Crap."

The dark, unnerving creature loomed over them. Behind him, Kairi squeezed his hand tightly in fear. Lea glanced at her; she was trying so hard to be brave. He could almost see the tears glistening in her wide eyes, but she was holding them back, keeping them from spilling. Despite the situation, an automatic grin tugged at the corners of his lips, as he once again marveled over the power in Isa's words.

He looked back at the creature, and its haunting, jerky, motions. He had to think of something – and fast.

"Kairi," he mumbled under his breath. He could tell she had heard him at her sudden intake of breath.

"Kairi," he repeated, more softly this time. "Don't. Scream. As soon as I turn around, I'm going to pick you up and run. Okay?"

He didn't check to see if she agreed. He had just meant to warn her. And really, there was no other option. Not breaking eye contact with the thing in front of him, he pressed the little girl's hand tightly for reassurance—for himself as well as hers. The creature (what the heck was he supposed to call this thing?) appeared to be waiting for them to make a move, regarding them almost curiously.

"At the count of three," he went on, whispering furiously now. "One…"

She tensed.

"Two…"

_Pause for dramatic effect…_

"Three!"

Without looking to see if the monster had reacted to his sudden, loud, yell. Lea grabbed Kairi, picking her up bridal - style like before, and took off in a random direction.

Only when they were at least a hundred feet away, at the corner of the street, did he risk checking behind him.

Big mistake.

The thing was gaining on them. In fact, it was virtually on top of them the moment he paused to take a breath. Kairi screamed, and with a very unmanly yelp, Lea started to run again, tripping over his feet but managing to stay upright. Kairi was growing heavy in his arms, and he was sure he wouldn't be able to run any longer.

People scrambled out of his way, some pulling kids with them, and one case, a large bucket of carrots; others paused in their jobs, watching in stricken silence as the _thing_ chased after him.

His breathing was ragged now, and he was so busy trying to keep from falling that he realized a little too late that he was headed towards the castle.

"Hey!" Dilan shouted the moment he caught sight of the redhead.

Lea swore under his breath.

In any other situation, he never would've asked for help; it was too much for his vanity. But as he glanced down at Kairi—her eyes were clamped shut and she was shaking—he knew this was no time for pride.

"Spare me the nasty comments!" he shouted breathlessly, bounding up the stairs two steps at a time, towards the guards. They stiffened at the troublemaker's arrival, but rushed forward when they caught sight of the shadowlike creature behind him.

"Aeleus," Dilan barked, and his brown-haired companion stopped mid-run, skidding to a halt beside Lea.

"Stay back," Dilan went on, his voice as piercing as his eyes. "Guard the castle."

The taller man faltered, his hands tightening around the handle of his axe. "Dilan…"

But the other guard had already launched himself towards the creature, brandishing his lance.

Lea set Kairi down gently, trying to catch his breath, and she finally opened the purple-blue eyes she had squeezed shut. She was still shivering, and he felt a sudden pang of sadness. It was like being stabbed in the chest. She was going through so much, when she certainly didn't deserve to.

"You okay?" he murmured, and immediately cursed himself for asking. Of course she wasn't okay. But as she drew her gaze away from the ongoing battle behind him to meet his warm green eyes, she nodded.

Lea tried to give her an encouraging smile. "You really _are _being brave, you know that?"

The little girl stared down at her hands, as if trying to believe his words. Apparently making up her mind, she looked up at him and smiled. "I am aren't I?"

The smallness of her voice compared to her loud, boastful manner from before was disheartening, but Lea didn't show it. "Yeah, definitely."

She looked like she wanted to say something else, but before the words found their way out she gasped and staggered backwards, staring past him. Dreading what he would see, Lea wheeled around to see the creature getting ready to strike him. Knowing it was too late to defend himself, he braced himself for the attack, closing his eyes at the last moment even though his ego barely allowed it. But the blow he was expecting never came. Instead, there was a loud grunt and a sound of slashing metal, and when Lea opened his eyes, dreadlock-guy was standing in front of him, using his lance to push the creature backwards.

Lea was speechless. This was the guy he'd attacked with a _Frisbee. _The guy he'd stripped the dignity off. The guy whose hair he'd set on fire— and he could still see the bald spot!

Dilan remained unfazed with Lea's reaction, and for a moment, admiration rushed up inside the teenager. "I…"

Dilan cut him off, ruining Lea's chance of ever giving him any kind of praise or gratitude. "What are you waiting around for, kid? He bellowed, pushing the creature back, his face scrunched up in effort. "It wants _her, _fool! Get that girl out of here!"

In just a few seconds, Lea had forgotten, shamefully, all about Kairi. He swiveled around to face her. She was still staring past him, her stare glued to the creature's dark red eyes. They were that crimson color one associated with blood.

_It wants her._

And suddenly Lea understood.

But this time, he hesitated. Although he couldn't believe it, he didn't want to leave Dilan to fend for himself. But Aeleus, who had respectably restrained himself because of his friend's prior request, or, more accurately, order, was giving him a strangely reassuring look. He wouldn't let Dilan fall into any danger.

That was all the encouragement Lea needed, and, having learnt from experience, Lea gestured for Kairi to climb on to his back before he staggered past the creature and back down the steps. The dark shadow lunged for him, and Kairi's scream rattled off his ears, her arms squeezing the breath out of him. Wincing, he dodged down and practically flew down the steps. Almost as an afterthought, he turned around and yelled, "thank you!" which was promptly struck down with a "GO!" as both guards yelled at him in unison. He couldn't help but grin as he ran, and his smile seemed to comfort Kairi, because she loosened her grip around his neck.

He wasn't even halfway back before he encountered Isa and the nameless raven-haired boy whom he had left behind. Although, Lea noticed, his hair was more of a blue-black.

Isa was relieved to see that his best friend was all right. Although the thought that his face might _show _any of that concern was too much for him, and his expression quickly melted into a complacent smile. "Pleasant jog?"

Lea tilted his head, grinning. "Actually, yes. If the idea of a pleasant jog includes being chased by a darker version of the abominable snowman. Although… the white one was scarier."

Isa raised his eyebrows. "Are you trying to make a point here, Lea? Because that made no sense.

Lea chuckled good-naturedly. "Guess not." His eyes went over to the other boy, who was still smiling lazily as if he was no stranger to them. Isa followed his gaze. The boy didn't seem to realize they were waiting for him to speak until Isa cleared his throat pointedly.

"What?" no-name muttered, glancing from Isa to Lea. His eyes had softened, and his expression was more easygoing now that the crisis was over.

Isa had to admit, as he studied the boy's expression, that this kid was something else. He had a bizarre way of switching from a serious to I-don't-really-care-but-this-is-fun attitude. He definitely wasn't from around here.

"You're name?" Lea couldn't fathom how someone could be so oblivious. But apparently, he'd been wrong, because no-name grinned suddenly, childishly.

"Well actually, a real man would provide his own name first before asking for another's."

There was a pause where Lea and Isa exchanged no less than startled looks.

To the red-head's amazement, Isa laughed. A real laugh, where Isa's smile met his eyes and his eyes voice shook like chimes. No one but Lea had ever made Isa laugh.

Isa, unaware of Lea's surprise, held out his hand towards no-name. "Call me Isa."

The boy's grin wasn't chalky like most smiles seemed to be in reality: it was a solid, full smile, and one would find it hard to wipe it off his face. He took Isa's hand and shook it, perhaps a bit too vigorously. "I'm Zack Fair."

Feeling slightly left out, Lea inclined his head towards Zack. "Lea."

Zack nodded at him, and his eyes travelled over to the girl. She didn't seem to say anything, so Lea spoke for her. "Kairi."

"Clearly, all that running must have tired her out," Isa commented, also looking over Lea's shoulder at the girl. Lea shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Huh? _I_ did all the running."

His retort seemed meaningless, however, because Zack gestured at her again, implying that Lea had missed some sort of point. "She's sleeping," he said matter-of-factly.

"Really?"

Lea glanced at her over his shoulder. The boy wasn't lying, or trying to be funny, like he'd assumed. She really was sleeping, her head slumped over his shoulder, her breathing soft and even. It struck him as kind of odd, but he guessed, the whole shock of it must have been more wearisome than the actual events. Still…

"She trusts you." Isa voiced his thoughts. He was standing with one hand on his hip, the other hanging loose as if Lea was sort of child that didn't understand anything. It was another one of his usual self-righteous poses, but Lea had never found it directed at him.

"I… can see that," Lea replied, trying not to look flattered in case Zack decided to make some degrading joke. "But how do I…?"

"Kairi?"

An old woman had appeared from behind Lea. He nearly dropped Kairi in surprise but managed to keep ahold of her even though his arms were starting to ache.

"Oh, thank goodness," the woman gushed, taking another step towards Lea. Rather awkwardly, he slipped Kairi off his back, cradling her sleeping form in his arms as the woman reached out and caressed the girl's cheek. "I was beginning to worry," she mumbled in the same, ingenuous tone, as if she were only speaking to herself and no one else. But then she looked up and gave Lea a crinkled smile. "Thank you so much."

Ignoring Zack's attempts to stifle his laughter, Lea nodded. "You must be Kairi's Grandma."

The woman nodded back, and then, without another word, lifted Kairi out of his arms. "Yes I am, boy. And I'm stronger than you think." Seeing his mortified expression, she winked at Lea as she passed by, and as soon as she was out of earshot Zack burst out laughing.

"Did she seriously just wink at you, man?"

He didn't bother to reply, or look to see how amusing Isa found this. Without giving either of them another glance, he turned away from them and stalked back towards the direction he had come from.

He had other, more _important _business to attend to.


End file.
